By Arnold Neliba
ENDO, JUNE 9, 2023 (CISA)-A catholic priest was on June 7 shot and his lifeless body found by the boundary Street in Ikpoba Hill, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area in Endo State as Nigeria continues grappling with the recurrent attacks on Christians characterized by killings and kidnappings of priests, religious men and women, and faithful.
According to a June 8 statement by Catholic archdiocese of Benin City, Fr Charles Onomhoale, Vice Principal of St Michael College-Ikhueniro was shot on his way back to his place of assignment.
“With great shock we received the news this morning that he was shot on his way back to his place of assignment, on the 7th of June, 2023 and his remains were found by Boundary Street in Ikpoba Hill, Ikpoba Okha Local Government area, Endo State. The appropriate security agency has been informed and they are presently working on the case. We pray that the perpetrators of this evil act will be brought to the face of justice,” Archbishop Augustine Akubeze said in a statement.
The killing of Fr Charles who was barely a year in priesthood adds on the plight of priests and Christians in Nigeria who continue to face kidnappings and death in the hands of unknown people. Civil rights group Intersociety reports that Over 50,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria by Islamist extremists over the past 14 years, with some 1,000 Christians brutally murdered in the first 100 days of 2023 alone.
“It has been investigated and found that no fewer than 1,041 defenseless Christians were hacked to death by Nigeria’s Jihadists in the first 100 days of 2023. Also, no fewer than 707 Christians were abducted within the same period… Going by our findings warranting this special investigative report, the number of Christians killed in the country for nonviolently professing Christianity between July 2009 and April 2023 has risen to 52,250,” according to the report, titled “Martyred Christians in Nigeria” published by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety).
Since January, a priest was burnt alive, another shot and series of kidnappings with Catholic faithful among those targeted.
